Getting There Is Half The Fun
by EmilyAlice10
Summary: It’s just high school, with many twists and turns along the way! The Rent cast is in high school dealing with love, ambition, hope, and life. They dont care where they end, as long as they have fun getting there! I know I'm bad at reviews, just R&R please
1. Meet The Class

_It's just high school, -with many twists and turns along the way! The rent cast is in high school and having the time of their life. Where they stop, nobody knows! I know I'm bad at summaries, just read it! Reviews please!_

_Disclaimer-I don't own Rent or anyone's last name!!! Or anything else you recognize in here!!_

_Ok, I guess I'll start by saying who's who in the beginning– _

_Mark Cohen (sophomore)/Maureen Johnson (sophomore)_

_Roger Davis (sophomore)/April Erikson (freshman)_

_Benjamin Coffin III (sophomore)/Allison Grey (sophomore)_

_Tom Collins (junior)_

_Angel Dumott Shunard (sophomore)_

_Mimi Marquez (freshman)_

_Joanne Jefferson (junior)_

_Rosie Dawson (freshman)_

_Steve Pascal (junior)_

_Gordon Rapp (junior)_

_Paul Olson (teacher)_

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"Mimi, chica!!" Angel screamed as she saw her best friend walk into the parking lot of their high school, Scarsdale High. Mimi looked like a lost puppy, this being her first year in high school. Angel was overjoyed that she would get to go to school with Mimi again. Mimi was dressed in a black sparkly top that showed just a _little_ too much cleavage. She was also wearing her standard black mini skirt with fishnet tights that she and Angel had gotten on a shopping spree over the summer. And to top it all off, she had let her hair flow in its usually curly bush on her head. Angel on the other hand, was wearing a patchwork turtle-neck, and flowery mini skirt. Underneath she was wearing the zebra print leggings that she had gotten on the same outing with Mimi and her red platform heels. Angel was the only person Mimi knew who could do anything in heels. She was also wearing her black bob wig, since, only biologically, Angel was a boy. A lot of people gave Angel a hard time when she came out a year ago, some people still did, but Mimi could care less. Angel was her best friend.

"Angel!!" Mimi ran to hug her friend.

"So how does it feel to be in high school? Sucks even more than middle school, right?"

"So far it's not that bad, seeing as I've only been here two minutes. Where are you heading?"

"Math, ugh, I hate that class!" Mimi giggled at her friend's slight misfortune, then she peered down at her own schedule.

"Hey, where's World Literature?" She sounded out the words as though they were hard to read.

"Oh! That's in the other building, over there!" She pointed toward a slightly smaller building off to the other sides of the sports fields. "But I'll see you at lunch, right?"

"Of course!" replied Mimi.

Angel screamed as Mimi walked away, "Don't make to many more friends without me!!" Which of course Mimi knew was totally untrue. Angel was the nicest person ever and she wanted Mimi to make as many friends as she could, but Mimi still turned around for one last glance at her best friend before she turned around, preparing for her first day of high school.

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As soon as Angel turned around she found herself face to face with a man, who she assumed to be a teacher. He was young, just out of college most likely, and was dressed very casual. He was smiling which was always a good sign when talking to a teacher.

"Hi, my name is Mr. Olson, but you can call me Paul."

"Hi, I'm Angel."

"Nice to meet you Angel, I know you're a sophomore, but, well, I saw you last year, and I think you would fit better in my junior class."

"Excuse me, sorry, but what class?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I teacher senior, junior, and sophomore literature, but my methods aren't always, well, standard."

"Oh yea, one of my friends told me about your class. He said it was the best class he had ever taken."

"I'm flattered, but I'm here today to see if you would move up to my junior class. I would switch your math and lit class, and I've already spoken to Mrs. Dunch, your math teacher. I've looked at your reading level and I think you would be happier with the juniors, so, what do you say?"  
"That sounds great! I do love to read, thanks! So, I guess I'm headed to your class right now then!"

"I'll walk you there!"

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Meanwhile on campus, two other almost-happy couples were standing outside their lockers. April and Roger were making out, as usual, and Maureen and Mark were fighting, as usual.

"Mark! I told you!! I never kissed him, we were just talking!!!"

"That's not what it looked like! You were in a pretty serious lip lock when I turned the corner! And before school even starts you manage to have every guy in school down your shirt!"

"Mark, you are totally over reacting!! I would not do that to you!!

"Maureen!! I-"

"Guys, guys!!" Roger broke into the fight, with a needle in his hand I may add. Scarsdale was one of the most oblivious schools in the state. Their motto was 'Teach and be taught'. Obviously they did very little of both. "Chill!! Mark, just let Maureen, be herself." He said putting on a very realistic hippie accent. Mark hated it when Roger was high. He hated it when Roger had anything to do with drugs. Mark, Collins and Maureen had been trying to get him to stop for months, but he always replied with 'April's my girlfriend, and I'll do anything for her.' And April always told him to keep it up, so he did. "And Maureen, well, stop kissing other guys."

"Fine" They both replied, and, like the other pair, began making out.

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"Hey Joanne, wait up!" Collins ran up to his friend and took some of the millions of books she must have been carrying off her arms. They weren't dating; they were just friends, as they were forced to tell others over and over again.

"Thanks! Hey where are you going?" Asked Joanne, looking over at his schedule and then back at her own.

"Lit, how bout you?"

"Computer science, then debate."

"Me too!" Cried Collins.

"Yes! I wanted to have that class with you; it's no fun unless someone on the other side actually challenges your beliefs!"

"Exactly!" Replied Collins. He loved Joanne like a sister, they had been in all the same (top, of course) classes since grammar school, but she wasn't really one to joke with. She talked about school and work and took everything very seriously. When she did have 'fun', it would be sitting in the background. She was shy when it came to people other than, well, Collins. It was obvious that she was shy. No one really got any deeper than the surface with her. Collins on the other hand, was very outgoing, well, sort of. He loved to laugh and have fun. He was great at joking with his friends and every girl in school wanted to date him, but he never said yes. Collins was great at pretending. He tried to be outgoing, but really, he was quite shy. He never spoke his mind or told anyone who he really was, not even Joanne or Mark. Collins had more than one secret. Some afternoons he would go home to his room and cry, he couldn't help it. He would stop of course as soon as his father came home from his low wage job at the auto body. If his dad ever found out… But for now he was just find pretending, it was better than showing who he really was. "Come on!" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they walked into school. Collins stopped at his locker and Joanne continued on to hers.

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As Collins was collecting his books, Benny walked up to his locker which was conveniently next to Collins's.

"So, you two goin' out yet?" Benny asked, referring to Joanne walking away with her giant pile of books.

"How many times do I have to tell you, we're just friends!"

"Sure man, whatever." Collins was used to the assumptions by now, but it was still annoying. "So, are you going to the pep rally today?"

"You know me, am I a 'pep rally' type?" Collins replied with one eye brow raised.

"Allison's gonna be there, come on man, come for me!" Collins was trying to find some excuse not to go, but he couldn't think of anything.

"Sure man, whatever."

"Knew you would! See ya there!" Benny walked away.

"Yea, yea, you're welcome." None of their friends really approved of Benny being with Allison. She was nice and all, and it wasn't like she was a sell out or anything, her best friend was Rosie, but everyone was just a little too afraid that she would follow in her fathers footsteps and become one of those big time investors. She said she wouldn't, and I guess it wasn't her fault she had money. But they couldn't help but worry.

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_Well, that's chapter 1!! More coming soon!! I am working really hard on this story so please tell me if you like it or not and what I can do better!! Reviews, reviews, REVIEWS!!!! Thanks!!_

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	2. Hi, I'm Angel

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_Hey I made a slight mistake in the last chapter. Angel isn't going to Math, she's going to Advanced Lit, same as Collins. Sorry! Anyway, here's chapter 2! Lots of Angel/Collins fluff plus a little Maureen stupidity, hope you like!!_

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"Ok, class, everyone, please move your desks into a circle." Paul said as he walked into class with Angel. Everyone gave him some quizzical looks, most times, teachers would be angry that they were talking, but he was smiling! Some people smirked as Angel sat down and moved her desk into a circle, but she didn't mind.

Collins watched with aw as this boy… or girl, who had just walked into class with the teacher, simply shrugged off three boys who seemed to be harassing her. He couldn't see how anyone could be that courageous or filled with so much love. Already he admired her.

Once everyone had their desks in a circle, Paul sat down in his desk in the circle.

"Ok, why don't we start by introducing ourselves. I'm Mr. Olson, but you can call me Paul." The class wen around saying their names, "Ally, Pam, Sue, Gordon, Steve, Jason, Alexi, Mitch, Nicole…" Soon it came to Collins, who was sitting next to the drag queen.

"Collins, Tom Collins." Some kids snickered and whispered "Bond, James bond." But Angel, at least, ignored them and went on.

"Hi, I'm Angel." She said as she removed her wig. Some kids sneered, others smiled, others just wondered.

"Let's begin." Said Paul, "Now, this year, we'll be reading books such as Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, and The Color Purple." Some boys groaned at the last one, but the girls, including Angel, found it an exciting read. Most kids in this class enjoyed reading, after all, it was the advanced Lit class.

"We will be discussing the important meanings of these books and we will be completing a bunch of writing assignments. Today, however, I thought we could get to know each other a little. I have this game we can play. Everyone will go around the circle and say a few things about themselves, then we'll have some kids go up to the board and see how much they can remember. Sound good?" Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

Everyone began talking and the topic went from football, to choir, to math, to pets, to movies, to music and one kid even said that he had been to Disney World _15 times_!

After a few minutes of laughing and smiling, the 'talking stick', as Paul called it, came to Collins. He stammered for a minute, trying to think of something to say, well, sort of. There were a million things he _could_ say. He could say he was gay, or he had aids, or his parents were divorcing. He was trying to think of something that Collins _would_ say. Something that wouldn't reveal too much.

With all these thoughts, he didn't realize how long he had been sitting there, silent. Finally, Angel leaned over and just said, "Mind if I go first, honey?"

It took Collins a minute to understand what had just happened, but he just nodded his head and handed Angel the stick.

"Ok, about me, well, I'm gay, but I bet you already knew that. I have AIDS, and for those of you who don't know that's the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Pretty much it means that a common cold that you would be over in a week could kill me."

Collins gawped at Angel. He could not believe what he had just heard. Angel had been brave enough to tell the entire class what he had shied away from. She was perfect. The most wonderful person that ever lived. And what she said next made him love her even more.

"So you have to believe that this gives me a sense of, well, reality. I know that I could die any moment, so I try to live every moment as my last. No day but today, you know?"

That was it, Collins knew then, he was madly in love with her.

"Anyway, I'm also a percussionist. I love music and the band. That's about it."

"Thank you Angel, that was great. Collins, would you like to go now?"

"Su- su- ure. Yea. Well," He took the stick from Angel, trying not to blush, although he knew he was failing, "I like debates, and I want to get a job at the tutor center, so if any of you need help, come to me." The class giggled.

"Thanks Collins. Okay, now who wants to go up to the board?" Everyone's hand immediately shot up. "Okay, how about this… FIRST ONE UP THERE GETS IT!!!" The entire class bolted up to the chalk board and ended up in a huge laughing blob on the floor.

At just that moment, Mark walked in. "uh… Hi…"

"And you are?..." Said Paul.

"Oh, I'm not, I'm just…. Is this AP Hebrew? I'm, I'm Mark."

"Sorry Mark, Hebrew is down the hall, nice to have met you though."

"Thanks…" Mark backed out of the room, partly scared and partly wishing he had taken this class, Collins looked like he was having the time of his life.

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The rest of the period went about the same for everyone. Collins, Angel, Paul, and the rest of the class broke into laughter every other second and everyone dubbed that their favorite class. Ever.

Mark eventually found his class and realized that Maureen and Roger were there too.

Joanne was alone in her computer science class, but she liked it that way. It was easier to work.

April, Benny, and Allison all had Algebra. April was failing already, but Allison and Benny seemed to be pretty good at bank math. That scared everyone even more.

Mimi and Rosie were together in World Lit. Nothing really happening there.

The period ended soon and the morning announcements came on.

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"Attention all students," Droned on the voice coming from the loud speaker. Mark and Roger were playing paper football and Maureen was trying to sleep. They all hated the morning announcements.

"Welcome back to school, and for those of you who are new here, welcome. Today we will begin soccer and football tryouts."

"Blah, blah, blah." Maureen groaned in her sleep.

"We will also be hosting tryouts for this year's musical, Wicked. Students can come pick up forms and audition material after the announcements in the chorus room. Auditions will begin promptly and 2:35, after school."

"AHHHHHH!!!" Maureen bolted out of her seat and screamed so loud I'm sure all of New York City could hear her. Everyone in class looked at her and both Mark and Roger gave her looks that said, 'WTF?!?'. She sat back down and ignored the rest of the announcements, too busy dreaming about how amazing her audition was going to be, and how perfect she was going to be for her favorite part in her favorite musical, Elphaba.

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Back in Paul's classroom, no one was watching the announcements. Angel, in fact, was talking to Collins.

"So do you like music?" She asked him.

"I don't know. Well, I mean, I don't really know a lot about it. My best friend, Roger, he's a song writer, but he's not very good."

"Here, this is a CD of some of my favorite songs. I carry it with me everywhere, maybe you'll like some of it!

Collins was blushing, he knew it. Angel, the most wonderful person ever, had just given him a mix CD. He couldn't wait to listen to it. He was trying to think of ways to blow off the pep rally so that he could listen to the CD sooner, when Angel jolted him back to reality.

"You know, you're cute when you blush." Now Collins was blushing even more.

"I- I- I've, uh, gotta go." He walked away. Now he was afraid Angel would hate him forever, but when he turned around, she was already talking to Paul.

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"Angel, I was just wondering, well, you see, I run this program on the weekends, it's called Friends In Deed."

"Oh yea! I've heard of that." Angel replied happily.

"Well I'm one of the moderators, and I was wondering if you would like to come? Maybe you could bring your friend, Collins!"

"I'd love to, but I think my parents are busy… I don't think they can drive me…" Angel knew her parents weren't busy, but they would never approve of going to a meeting like this, soo she had to make something up.

"That's alright, I can drive you, if that's okay?"

"Yea! That's great!!" This was working out perfectly. Angel was so excited. She ran up to Collins jumping and clapping at the same time!

"Collins!!" She screamed.

"What is it?" He was smiling bigger than he had ever felt himself smile before. Just her saying his name. He didn't know it, but she felt exactly the same way.

"Paul wanted to know if you and I wanted to go to his Friends In Deed meeting this weekend! He could drive us and everything!"

Collins didn't know what to say. Of course he wanted to go, but he had never done something like this before. But for once, his heart prevailed over his mind. "Sure, I'd love to."

"Great! See you then!"

At that moment, the bell rang, and everyone picked up their books, and walked out of Paul's classroom, back into reality.

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_Chapter 2!!! Hope you liked it!!! Angel and Collins are so cute!!!! I used Friends In Deed instead of Life Support because that's what the program was based off of, so I used the real thing, just because I felt like it! I dont own Friends In Deed or Rent or anything else you recognize!! Reviews please!!!!!!!_

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	3. More Than Just Auditions

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_Chapter 3! Sorry, I haven't updated in a while! Oh, one more mistake, Just disregard that first, really long, intro paragraph! I wrote that, then like a week later wrote the rest with new ideas and it has a lot of mistakes in it. So just kind of forget everything in that paragraph! I deleted it! Now for the story… _

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Maureen bolted out of class and down to the chorus room where she saw a music stand with bright yellow papers on it that said "Audition Form". She lingered for a moment, taking in all the amazingness (A/N is that even a word, o well, I use it all the time, so Maureen can!) of the situation. She was sure she was going to get Elphaba, she just had to.

She grabbed the sheets, placed them neatly in a folder and then took off down the hall. She ran right into Collins, who had been in a slight daze coming out of Paul's class.

"Whoa! Mo, what's the rush?" He said when she backed up, panting heavily.

"Did you not _hear_ the morning announcements?!?!?" She asked like everyone in the world listened to them.

"I heard something about a school spirit week and then I zoned out, why?"

"AUDITIONS FOR THE MUSICAL!!!" She screamed, "WICKED, ELPHABA, ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Oooo!" Now Collins understood, this was typical Maureen behavior when the musical came around, and if it was Wicked, he favorite show, well, he was scared of what she might do.

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So far, in Mark's one year and one day at high school, he had learned this much: high school was great! That is if you don't count the classes, the people or the lifestyle in general… well the building sure looked nice!

Probably his least favorite parts of school were pep rallies and sports games, which, of course (because this is a fan fiction and there has to be some excuse for something to happen, it would be quite boring if he just sat home and fiddled with has camera for a chapter!), was where he was headed. Benny, like he had done to Collins and Roger, had convinced him to come to cheer on Allison, although Mark's idea was that he was going to film it and make a video about how much high school sucks.

When Mark walked in, he saw almost the entire school cramped into the two tiny bleachers in the gym. The thought of walking up there made him sick and he thought of just leaving, but then he saw Benny waving to him from a lesser crowded row in the middle and Collins and Roger sitting next to him looking extremely bored and out of place.

"Hi Benny." he grumbled. This was NOT where he wanted to be right now. He would have rather been at Maureen's audition, even though her passion for theater was his least favorite thing about her. His favorite was… well…

He looked over at Roger, who was making out with April, and Benny who was now down on the gym floor talking to Allison in her mini skirt and shirt so small it could have been a bra. Then he realized Collins all alone.

"Hey Collins, where's Joanne? I thought you would have dragged her here for something more interesting to listen to than some bad music and cheers that make no sense.

"I asked her to come, but she said she was helping out Mr. Pather with the auditions for the musical."

"Oh, hey, that's where Maureen is too!" Mark thought about the fun Maureen must be having. Much more than Mark was currently engaged in.

"Hey guys, the rallies almost starting! Roger, detach!" Mark realized that Benny had come back up and was sitting next too them. Roger bolted up and was now looking down on the basketball court, hoping to see a girl's skirt fly up. Now Rosie was on the floor with Allison, they were best friends after all. Mark picked up his camera and began to film as the lights went down. He glanced over at Collins who seemed to be looking for someone.

"Hey, Collins man, whacha looking for?" Mark whispered.

"Nothing." Said Collins, though he continued to look. 'She shouldn't be that hard to find!' he screamed in his head.

But at that moment he had to stop looking for Angel, because the rally was about too start.

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Maureen sat down in the hallway her music neatly folded in front of her, something the rest of her papers never were. She silently read over her lines as she watched other kids walk in and out of the chorus room. She was slightly upset that none of her friends had come, but then again she knew that Benny had probably forced them to go to that stupid pep rally. Ughh, Benny.

After a few minutes, she saw an African American girl, holding more books than she had ever seen in her life plop down next to her. The girl seemed to be in a rush, but Maureen didn't care, so she began talking.

"Hey, you're Joanne, Collins's friend, right?" Maureen smiled at the girl, she seemed frantic and looked like she could use some help.

"uh, yea." She said, not seeming to be completely in the conversation.

"What are you doing here? I mean, Collins described you as not really the creative, artsy type."

"For your information," She snapped back, "I'm just here to wait for my sister. She's a senior, she has a car, she's driving me home. And anyway, I can be anywhere I want!"

Maureen was taken aback by Joanne's sudden hostility. Collins hadn't described her as being very forward either.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything."

Joanne sighed. "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." She began packing up her books with a half angry, half disappointed, half just confused look.

"Rough day?" Maureen said, trying to be as compassionate as she could be. Empathy wasn't usually one of Mo's strong points, but with Joanne, it felt different. She could relate to her.

"You have no idea." Said Joanne. With that, she tossed the last book into a pocket, zipped up her backpack, threw it over one shoulder and walked away, not waiting for her sister.

"Maybe I do…" Maureen mumbled under her breath.

"Maureen Johnson!" Cried the moderator, "It's your turn to audition!"

Maureen handed the woman her forms and gave her music to the pianist. She saw an older African American girl walk out the other door and assumed that that was Joanne's sister.

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Roger and April were alone in an alleyway after the pep rally. They each pulled a needle out of their arms and let out huge sighs.

"Youuuuu reaadyyy tooo doo thiiiissss?" Roger asked in the slightly tentative voice of a high druggy.

"Ooooh yeeeeaaa!" April said in the same voice, but with no regret.

They walked up into April's apartment where her parents wouldn't be home for hours and began to strip.

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"ahhh" Roger sighed when it was over. "Well, I've gotta go." He said as he began putting his pants back on.

"No Roger, wait!!" April screamed.

"What is it baby? I've gotta go!" Roger shouted back. They always ended up having these fights, but somehow, Roger just couldn't stop loving her.

"N- n- nothing. Sorry." She climbed back under the covers and pulled them over her head. He quickly threw his cloths on and left, although as he shut the door, he could have sworn he heard a small whimpering from the bed.

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_Well, that's chapter 3!! I promise updates will become more frequent!! I wrote tons today so I'll be able to post soon! After this week everything is almost over so I'll have more time! Thanks for your patience! Reviews please!!!_


	4. Discovering Happiness

_YAYAYAYYAYAYAY!!! I'M FINALLY UPDATING!!! Sorry, I just haven't really been into this story recently, but I'm trying to work on it. So review! Review! Review!!!!_

_Oh, also, I didn't mention this, but the first day of school was the first Tuesday in September, and everything so far took place on that first day. Now we're skipping the next day, but then it goes to Saturday._

_Ok, and just so you know (although I bet you knew this already), I don't own Rent or Friends in Deed, nor have I ever been to a Friends in Deed meeting so I'm basing this off Life Support in Rent which Jonathan Larson based off Friends in Deed. Ok, now to the story…_

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The next morning went quickly. Angel and Collins didn't have lit together; in fact, they didn't have any classes together, which made it a dull morning for both. Especially Collins who had listened to the CD last night and was so excited to talk to Angel about it, he thought he might burst.

Mimi and Rosie realized they had a bunch of classes together, and were becoming better friends' everyday. If fact, Rosie almost felt like she was becoming better friends with Mimi than she was with Allison, but that was impossible. She and Ali were best friends. Unfortunately, Ali was afraid of the same thing.

April, however, had hardly any classes with her friends, since she didn't really work at school. In fact most days she didn't even go to class.

Joanne, Maureen and Mark had math together the next morning. Joanne wasn't really in the Sophomore Trig 1 class, she had a mistake on her schedule, but for now she had to stay there and listen to what she had learned two years ago. Although she and Mark got to talking, well, that is when Maureen wasn't talking to him. She and Maureen were still angry about yesterday afternoon's quarrel.

They day before at lunch, unfortunately, none of the friends had had the same lunch. At least none of the good friends, but today was different; all eleven of them were in the same lunch.

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Mimi and Angel sat down at a lunch table with their trays. Today's lunch was "Hamburgers", but they could just have easily been mud pies on cardboard. They were early and not many people were in the lunch room yet.

But only a second later, Mark, Roger, Collins, Maureen and Benny walked in. Mark and Maureen were fighting. Again. And Benny and Roger were talking. Collins was looking around the lunch room, searching for the only person that mattered to him now. Angel looked over her shoulder and saw Collins looking. They're eyes met and Angel gave him a cute wave with just her pinky. (A/N For my friends: ODISIOUS ANGEL PINKY WAVE THAT ALSO MEANS DEATH! and for anyone else who has now read this strange A/N and is really bored and would like to know what this means, you can PM me) Mimi leaned over and whispered to Angel, "Oooooo, who's that?"

"He's just a friend." Angel replied slightly solemn.

"Uh huh, sure."

"Chica!! Stop it!" She lowered her voice even more now "I don't even think he's gay."

"Ok." Mimi replied, getting the picture.

Changing the subject, Mimi added, "So, who's his friend?"

"Which one?" Angel asked

"The cute one! He's the non dorky blond one. He's talking to the preppy black guy."

"Oh him. I think his name is Roger or Ronald or something. He's a sophomore, but Mimi you don't want to be hanging around with him…" Angel sounded a little worried now for her friend.

"Why?" Mimi was curious. What made Angel worry so much?

"Well, for one thing he has a girl friend. And Mimi, he's the kind of guy that shoots up in the alley after school. Both him and his girl friend do Heroin and they're just… they're not good for a girl like you."

"A girl like me?!" Mimi knew Angel was just trying to protect her, but she wasn't five!

"Mimi do you want to be like that?!"

"You don't even know him!!" Both they're voices were getting more stressed and louder with every word. "You're not the kind of person who judges people like that!"

This last comment left Angel looking hurt. Angel was the nicest person in the world, and it made her sad if she thought that she was being mean.

"Oh, Angel… I'm sorry." Mimi hugged her best friend.

"No, Mimi you're right, I'm sorry, I'll give him a chance."

"Thanks chica."

At that moment Collins, Mark, Roger, Benny, and Maureen all sat down with Angel and Mimi.

"Mind if we sit here?" Maureen asked in her usually peppy voice.

"Go ahead!" Angel replied.

Maureen and Angel began talking about music, and Collins was listening in waiting for Maureen to leave so he could talk to Angel alone.

Benny was talking to Mark and also looking around for Allison.

Roger started looking for April, but Mimi began talking.

"Hi!" She said.

"Hi." Roger replied, switching his gaze to the smooth, beautiful voice that had just spoken to him.

"Folks call me Mimi"

"I'm Roger."

Roger and Mimi started laughing and talking and having a great time. A minute later April walked in. She got her lunch and started walking toward Roger, when she saw him laughing with that girl Mimi. She wanted to just sit down next to him and kiss him and tell that other girl to get off him. But she didn't. She walked out of the lunch room and ate alone on the grass. She wasn't brave enough to do something bold like that. She had always been a bit of a coward.

"Hey, Maureen!" Collins interrupted.

"What?" Maureen scowled.

"Go buy me a cookie!" He said as if annoyed. He gave her an awkward wink and threw fifty cents at her.

"Ok, whatever!!" She said as she stood up, still not getting it. Angel giggled and it took all of Collins's might not throw his arms around her. She was so perfect.

"So I listened to that CD last night." Collins said shyly.

"And…?"

"I loved it!! Every song!!! But I especially like Brat Pack and 100 Years. Oh, and Dancing in the Street! But they're all so great; you have amazing taste in music."

"Thanks!"

Angel and Collins began talking and didn't stop till lunch was over. Allison and Rosie had also joined the table and were talking. But, while Maureen was on line, she ran into Joanne.

"Hey!" Said Maureen.

"Hi." Replied Jo, "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday afternoon. I was just pissed. Forgive me?"

"Of course! No big deal. Oh! I love your earrings! where did you get them?"

Maureen and Joanne got to talking and Maureen never went back to her conversation with Angel. Joanne was happy with her and Maureen being friends. Of course she wanted to be more than friends with her, so much more, but for now, friends would do, and maybe someday, they would have more…

That day was pretty good for everyone. Friendships were made, walls were broken. Everyone was happy, well, almost everyone. (A/N April…)

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"Collins!!!" Maureen screamed Friday morning as she saw her best friend, again, gazing around the courtyard.

"Hey Mo, what's up?"

"The cast list goes up today!!! I have to go see it!! Right now!!! Come on!!" Maureen grabbed Collins's hand and raced him inside. Mark, Roger, Benny, April, Rosie and Allison were walking over the baseball field and ran after the two friends.

Maureen stopped dead outside the chorus room where a crowd of students was making way for a teacher holding one, small, yet very important piece of paper.

Panting, Mark finally said, "Why, (pants) are, (pants) we, (pants) runnnnnning??!" But poor Mark, no one answered. Benny and Allison had gone into one of their more than daily make out sessions, and April and Rosie had left to put books in their lockers. Collins and Roger stood transfixed, looking at something, or someone, actually two someones standing in the band room. Mark looked up to see to girls, or was it a boy and a girl? Mark couldn't tell. The boy or girl waved at Collins with just his pinky (A/N For my friends: ODISIOUS ANGEL PINKY WAVE THAT ALSO MEANS DEATH! again) and Collins immediately blushed. The other girl just looked shyly at Roger, then grabbed the other's hand and ran down the hall giggling.

Roger and Collins still stood transfixed, not speaking or moving. Mark was curious about what was so special about that wall, but his deep thought was interrupted by an earsplitting scream, and unfortunately, it was NOT Maureen's.

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"I GOT IT! I GOT IT!!!" screamed the same girl Maureen had seen walking out of the chorus room right before her audition.

"I'M ELPHABA!!!" shouted the girl. When Maureen heard those words, she could have cried, but she kept looking down the list. She read it from top to bottom.

"Elphaba Thropp- Lizzy Jefferson

Galinda Upland- Jenifer Singer

Fiyero Tiggular- Ryan Coopersmith

The Wizard- Nathan James

Madam Morrible- Jane Shell

Boq- Logan Hunt

Nessarose- Maureen Johnson."

She stopped reading there. This was great, just great. She had about two lines and she had to sit in a wheel chair _all show_!!!! This sucked!

As soon as the three friends that were left (Benny and Allison had gone) heard the other girl scream, they shoved their way to the front of the line where they found a distressed Maureen. Mark and Collins gave her a hug and Roger gave death glares to anyone who tried to get to the list.

Finally the crowd calmed down and kids started to go to class. Mark and the others made sure that Maureen would be okay and then left to get their books. Maureen just slumped down underneath the list and sat there. She didn't want to go to class anymore. After a minute, someone sat down next to her, the same someone as at the auditions, but not nearly as frantic.

"Hey." Joanne said.

"Hi." Replied Maureen.

"So, sorry about the play…"

Maureen didn't reply for a minute.

"You know what?! This is all your fault!!" Maureen suddenly screamed.

"What?!?" Joanne tensed up, "how is this my fault?!"  
"You got me all psyched up before auditions and then I was bad!! Besides, I should have known _your_ sister would have been a perfect little over achiever just like you!" Maureen didn't even know exactly why, but at this comment, Joanne looked more hurt than Maureen had ever seen her.

"I'm nothing like my sister, _trust me_!! And I'm most definitely not perfect." And Joanne stood up and left, leaving Maureen feeling even worse than she had before.

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At 9:00 that Saturday morning, a small car pulled up in front of Angel's apartment. Angel, being as sneaky as she could, got her pink and green polka-dot purse and tip toed out the front door. She was wearing a jean mini skirt with red leggings underneath. She had on a yellow shirt decorated with cherries that looked like they had been painted on. It had short sleeves that hugged her shoulders. When she got into the backseat of the car, she found herself sitting next to Collins, with Paul up in the front.

"Hi Angel, ready to go?" Paul said in his warm and comforting voice.

"Yep!! All set!" Angel Replied

Paul began to drive and for the first few minute they were in complete silence, but then Paul spoke.

"So, do you kids know exactly what Friends in Deed is?"

Angel answered him, "I know it's like a support group for people with AIDS and Cancer and stuff like that."

"Yea, that's it for the most part. It's just a group for people coping with life. It's very free spirited and welcoming. That's our goal."

The car went back to silence after this short conversation. Collins still hadn't said a word the whole time, but his mind was racing 100 miles an hour.

He was scared. There was nothing more to it, he was scared as hell. The more he heard about Friends in Deed, the more he wanted to go, and the more he knew he shouldn't go. This was going to be awkward. He had AIDS and he was gay and yet no one knew so he couldn't mention it! How the hell was he supposed to go to a meeting for people with AIDS if he couldn't say he had AIDS!?!?!

As if reading his mind (which he really hoped she hadn't), Angel said "I'm sorry I'm kinda dragging you to this Collins. It might be a little weird since you don't have AIDS."

"Yea." Was the only word Collins could make himself say right now, but Paul spoke instead.

"Don't worry guys, it's not just for people with AIDS, everyone's welcome." And that was all they said for the rest of the car ride there.

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Even though Collins didn't talk to Angel, he looked at her. And thought about her. She looked exceptionally beautiful today, even better than she had the past four days if that was even possible. Even though he was scared about Friends in Deed, he couldn't have been more excited. His stomach was doing flips. Collins was the type of person who always wanted to learn. He wanted to know about anything and everything. He wanted to know about thing he needed to know and things he probably shouldn't know, so just the possibility of meeting other people like himself who would talk about AIDS and being gay was an adventure for him.

After about a half hour drive, they finally pulled up in front of a slightly run down community center, which Collins assumed to be where Friends in Deed was held.

"Ok, here we are!" Paul cried out as he parked his car against the curb.

Angel and Collins slowly stepped out of the car, taking in everything. Even Angel seemed slightly tentative.

They all walked in together and Paul immediately ran over to a woman and gave her a hug.

"Cynthia! I didn't know you would be here today!" Paul exclaimed. She said something in reply but neither Collins nor Angel could hear her.

At that moment two kids whom Collins recognized from Paul's class walked over.

"Hey," Collins said, "You're Gordon and Steve, right?"

"Yea," Said the kid Collins had just pointed out at Steve, "What are you guys doing here, is this your first time?"

"Yea," Angel Replied, "Paul took us."

"Oh yea." Said Gordon, "Paul's great. He's really understanding."

"Yea" Said Angel.

Just as Angel said that, Paul and the woman who had been introduced as Cynthia started the meeting.

Collins found out that Cynthia was actually the founder of Friends in Deed. This meeting was probably the best time Collins had ever had in his life. He

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That same Saturday, Roger walked over to April's apartment. He rung the doorbell and a fat man in sweat pants and a dirty T-shirt opened the door. Roger realized that he had never met April's parents. She never talked about her parents. Actually, she never talked at all, neither did he. They basically just made out, did drugs and had sex.

"What do you want?" The man asked Roger as if Roger was a piece of dirt on the bottom of his shoe.

"Uh… Hi." Said Roger "Is April home?"

"She went out."

"Oh, ok. Can I come in and wait until she gets home?" Roger Asked.

"Suit yourself." The man answered.

Roger walked in more tentatively than he usually is, looking around. Roger had never seen April's house before either. Only her bedroom…

As he began to walk up the stairs, he got a little scared. April had been his girl friend since he was in 8th grade and she was in 7th, and yet he now realized he knew so little about her.

He walked into her room and sat down on the bed he knew so well. After a minute, he got bored of waiting so he stood up and decided to look around. He wanted to learn a little more about his girl friend, and if she wouldn't tell him, he would find it out. He walked over to her dresser and moved some of the cloths that were strewn across it, underneath were pictures. One was of two little girls sitting up high in a tree. They both had short brown hair and were wearing matching plaid jumpers. On one side of the frame, it said "_April_" and on the other is said "_Abby_". If he didn't know that April was an only child, he would have thought that they were twins. The next picture was four people together. It was in a frame that said "Family". On the top left was the man that had opened the door, except he was cleaned up in this picture. He had his arm around the woman next to him. She was a good head shorter than the man and looked like a typical 'blond hair, blue eyes' kind of woman. She had on a green velvet dress with twenty buttons down the front and only a strap around her neck, black stockings, and a slightly frightened smile. And he could have been imagining it, but it looked as though she wasn't really looking at the camera. She was more looking over her should up at the man as if to make sure he didn't do anything wrong. Below them were the two girls from the other picture, although they looked a few years older. They were hugging each other and smiling million dollar smiles right at the camera, as though they didn't have a care in the world.

Now Roger was getting a little confused. Why were there four people in that family picture? He knew the one girl was April, but she had told him that she was an only child, and she had never mentioned parents, but he had seen the man downstairs and he was certain that he was her father. But there was a woman in this picture too. Who was that?

Those were the only two pictures on the dresser, so Roger opened her closet. April always had amazing shoes. It was just something she was known for at school. Her shoes and the drugs. So he dug around on her closet floor to see if he could find her shoes, but that wasn't what he found.

He moved away a coat and underneath, he found a whip.

Now the questions were swarming through Roger's head more than ever. 'Why would April have a whip?' 'Was it even hers?'

But before Roger could do anything, he heard the door open downstairs.

An all too familiar voice called, yet now there was something different about it. She seemed quiet, scared, and distant. "I'm home dad!" The man grunted.

Roger was immediately worried. He heard April running upstairs. There were so many questions he wanted to ask. He wanted to comfort her about whatever was wrong, but his feet began moving toward the window. He walked down the fire escape. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't see her right now. Once he was on the ground he realized the fear that had been building in him ever since he entered her house, so he ran.

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_Well, that's chapter four!!! Kinda long, sorry, but I haven't updated in forever, I know, so if anyone is still into this, I hope you liked that it was longer. I really will try to update sooner. I have a lot of the scenes written already, it's just the fillers and putting them together and making sure that everything works that is taking up time. So I hope I'll update soon, but in the mean time, REVIEW!!! _

_Oh! And also, if anyone can find my Jonathan Larson reference in this chapter, you get a virtual cookie!!! Or pie!! I only have virtual apple pie right now, but I should be getting some blueberry in soon!_


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